In one conventional network storage arrangement, network storage resources are coupled to servers. The servers are coupled to clients. An administrator may generate and transmit to each of the network storage resources respective commands requesting that the network storage resources provide the administrator with information related to the operation and status of the network storage resources. In response to these commands, the network storage resources may generate and transmit to the administrator respective messages comprising the requested information. The administrator then examines the requested information of each of the respective messages from each of the network storage resources.
In this conventional arrangement, the commands and the messages may be in accordance with protocols (e.g., non-standard and/or proprietary protocols) that are not compatible with standard protocols. This may undesirably increase the cost and complexity, and reduce the interoperability of the components comprising this conventional arrangement. It may also increase the management time and effort involved in implementing this conventional arrangement.
Additionally, the generation and transmission to each of the network storage resources of the commands, and the examination of the messages from each of the network storage resources by the administrator, consumes undesirably large amounts of the administrator's processing bandwidth.
Although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to illustrative embodiments, many alternatives, modifications, and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the claimed subject matter be viewed broadly.